Mobile orchard heating apparatus



Aprilll, 1939. I R 'f 2,153,909

MOBILE ORCHARD HEATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 28, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR.

Aa u H EM)" ATTORNEY.

MOBILE ORCHARD HEATING APPARATUS Filed Oct, 28, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /4344 mi 10 Eye j /4 Fl m/0 Q INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

My invention relates to a mobile orchard heating apparatus, andtheobjects of my invention are:

First, to provide a mobile heating apparatus;

Second, to provide a mobileheating apparatuswhich may be used inorchards susceptible to injury by frosts, to prevent or to minimize suchnjury;

Third, to provide an apparatus of this class which may be used in placeof the large number of stationary orchard heaters normally used in I thecitrus growing districts to prevent injury to citrus trees by frost;

Fourth, to provide an apparatus of this class appear hereinafter, myinvention consists of certain novel features of construction,combination,

and arrangement of parts and portions as'will be hereinafter describedin detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters ofreference thereon which form a part of-this application in which:

Figure 1 is a top or plan view of my mobile orchard heating apparatus;Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the mobile orchard heatingapparatus; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line33 of Fig. 1 and is on a slightly enlarged scale over the Fig. 1; Fig. 4is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig.

3 and is of the same scale as Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional view takenalong line 55 of'Fig. 3

of the same scale as Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a flow diagram for this mobileorchard heating apparatus; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary transverse sectionalview similar to Fig. 3 of a modified form of firebox and heat mixing anddischarge chamber and is of the same scale as Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is asectional view taken along the line 88 of Fig. '7 and is of the samescale as Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 99 of Fig.'7 and is. of the same scale as Fig. 7; and Fig. 10 is a fragmentarysectional view taken along line IIl--I0 of Fig. 9 of the same scale asFig. 9.

Similar characters of reference referto similar parts and portionsthroughout the several views of the drawings:

, The frame I, the front castor wheel 2, the rear wheels 3 and 4, oiltank 5, internal combustion engine 6, air compressor 1, compressed airstorage tank 8, gas generating vaporizer 9, fuel oil preheater I0, fueloilburner I I, centrifugal fan blower I2, firebox I3, and heat mixingand discharge chamber I 4 constitute the principal parts and portions ofmy novel mobile orchard heating apparatus.

The frame I is supported at its front end by the castor wheel 2. Thiscastor wheel 2 is carried between the fork member 2a, the upper end ofwhich member 2a is journalled within the support member Ia at the frontend of the frame I. This front wheel 2 is used for steering this mobileorchard heating apparatus. The rear end of this frame I is secured tothe underslung axle 3a which axle extends between the rear wheels 3 and4. Transversely positioned across the front end of the frame member I,as seen best in Fig. 1 and to some extent in Fig. 2 of the drawings, arethe internal combustion engine 6 and the air compressor 1. Fuel to drivethis internal combustion engine 6 is supplied from the tank 6a throughthe conduit 69. The air compressor I is driven by this internalcombustion engine 6 through the flexible coupling member 6]. Thecentrifugal fan blower I2 is also driven from this internal combustionengine 6 by means of the pulley member 6d which is secured to the shaft66, which shaft is driven by the internal combustion engine 6, and bythe belt I20 which belt extends between the pulley 6b and another pulleyI2b positioned upon a shaft I 2a for the blower fan of this centrifugalfan blower I2. To the end of the shaft 6e driven by the internalcombustion engine 6 is secured a cooling fan 60. This fan not onlyserves to direct a draft of air over the block of the internalcombustion engine I3 but also serves to create a draft through theradiator member 6b. This radiator member 61) is used in connection withthe internal combustion engine 6. The compressor I exhausts directlyinto tank 8 through pipe 'la.

Mounted upon the support Ib some distance above the frame I is the oiltank 5. Beneath this oil tank and centrally positioned between the sidesof the frame I is the centrifugal fan blower I2. This blower I2discharges directly into the passageway I4a of the heat mixing anddischarge chamber I4.

This passageway is directly above the firebox I 3 as may be seen best inFigure 3 of the drawings. The firebox I3 is lined with a refractorymaterial l3a. The fuel oil burner II is positioned within the firebox IIas shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Positioned at the forward end and onthe outside of the firebox I3 is the gas generating vaporizer 9. Thisvaporizer 9 communicates directly with the fuel oil burner II. in tank 5is under pressure of compressed air, the compressed air being conveyedfrom tank 8 through reducing valve 8!) to tank 5 by means of a conduitin. Thus the oil in tank 5 flows by aid of gravity and pressure from theoil tank 5 through pipe Sb'to preheater coils it which preheater coilsare positioned as indicated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings, andwhich are removably positioned in recess I30 in the refractory lining Haof the firebox iii. The fuel oil after passing through the preheatercoils l fiows through pipe iila to the gas generator 9 where it is mixedwith compressed air. Compressed air is fed to this generator 9 throughreducing valve la from compressed air tank 8 by means of the conduit 80,first being preheated by passing through coils 8d removably positionedin recess [30. The mixture of air and oil then passes directly from thisgas generator to a fuel oil burner positioned in the firebox I3 as shownin Fig. 3 of the drawings. Figure 6 of the drawings shows the fiowdiagram for both the fuel oil and the compressed air.

The heat mixing and discharge chamber member I4 is supported upon therear end of the frame I as shown best in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.The forward end of this chamber It connects with the discharge of theblower l2, and the rear or discharge end llh of the chamber H issupported by the rear end of the frame I. The direction of flow of airfrom the centrifugal fan blower I2 is from the forward end of thischamber II to the rearward discharge end h. So also for the gasesdischarged from the firebox 13; but the gases from the firebox it do notmix with the air from the blower l2 until the two have passed the pointMy as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The cross section shape of thischamber II is substantially rectangular at any plane taken transverselythrough the same between the intake Na. and the discharge llh, but thecross sectional area grows progressively larger as the plane of thecross section is moved toward the discharge end llh. This is indicatedbest in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Between the points Hf and Ila, thischamber I4 is divided into a plurality of passageways by the verticallystanding partitions Hb. In Fig. 4 of the drawings, the passageway withinthe member I is shown divided into nine of these conduits c and lid. Theconduits lld connect directly with the firebox IS, the hot gasesdischarged therefrom coming up through the opening I 4e in the lowerside of this chamber l4 and passing backwardly through the conduits Md.This is indicated in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings. The air from theblower l2 passes along the passageway Na and between the conduits lld bypassing through the conduits llc. It should be noted that the drawingsshow five of these conduits c and four of the conduits Md. Thus the hotgases from the firebox l3 and the air from the blower l2 do not mixuntil both have passed the end of their respective conduits Ho and Ndwhich is indicated at point Hg in Fig. 3 of the drawings. It should benoted in Fig. 3 of the drawings that the firebox l3 has an opening libwhich permits a draft so that the gases from the The fuel oil oil burnerH may leave the firebox l3 and pass out into the conduit I Id. Thesepartitions Ilb serve a double purpose. First, they divide the chamber l4into a plurality of conduits so that the hot gases from the firebox I4and the air from the blower II are kept separate until they both reachthe point Hg, which point is well to the rear of the openings He fromthe firebox i! in the lower side of this mixing chamber I4. Thisprevents the air from the blower I2 from passing into the firebox l3 andblowing flame off the burner H. This also induces a draft through theopening IS!) in the firebox l3 that helps to draw the hot gases from thefirebox i3 out into the conduits d. Secondly, these partitions Ilbprovide a greater heating surface for the hot gases from the firebox l3so that the air from the blower l2 in scrubbing past these partitions Hbin passing through the conduit I40 will pick up considerable heatjongbefore the point Hg is reached where the air and hot gases may mix. Itshould be noted from Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, that the forward endof the chamber I4 is elevated above the discharge end llh and furtherthat this discharge end Ilh is but a very short distance above thesurface of the ground so that the hot gases discharged from this chamberll will be directed downwardly onto and along the surface of the groundThe discharge end llh is always open. A pair of deflector members Ht andMr are positioned at the rear end of member II to deflect the gases asindicated by the arrows shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. A pair ofshutters Ni and I47 are positioned, one on each side of the chamber llnear the rear end of said chamber. The shutter Hi is hinged at ilk andthe shutter Ila is hinged at llm. These shutters may be opened or closedat will, and when opened permit the hot gases being discharged to travelout transversely from each side of the chamber I4 I due to deflectorslit and Mr as well as fromthe rear end llh thereof.

The operation of the preferred mobile orchard heating apparatushereinbefore described is as follows:

The apparatus may be towed through an orchard by connecting a chain orcable with the eye 20 on the yoke 2b over the castor wheel 2. As theapparatus is towed, heat will be discharged from the rear end h of thechamber H in a downward direction against and along the ground so as toprevent the formation of frost. The heat may also be dischargedlaterally from each side of the discharge chamber ll near the rear endthereof by opening the shutters Hi and Ila. Thus the heat may bedischarged out along the surface of the ground underneath the trees tobe protected as the apparatus is towed between the rows of trees, thefuel consumed in the firebox l3 furnishing the heat necessary therefor,and the blower i2 furnishing the draft necessary to discharge the heatfrom said discharge chamber ll.

In Figs. 7, 8, 9, and is shown a modified form of this discharge chamberH. The principal difference between the modified and preferred form isthat in the modified form the firebox i5 is mounted on the top side ofthe discharge chamber it about midway between the front end of member I4 and the discharge end Hh, whereas in the preferred form the firebox ison the under side of this chamber l4 and towards the forward end of saidchamber I4; also, in the modified form the direction of travel of theflame and gases from the bumer I i is counter to the direction of travelof air from blower l2 and gases from this firebox 15 through thedischarge chamber ll, whereas in the preferred form the direction oftravel of the flame and gases within firebox l3'is with the directfon oftravel of air and gases in the member I. This is indicated by the arrowsin Figs. 3 and 7 of the drawings. The discharge chamber H in themodified form has also the plurality of partitions b as indicated inFig. 9 of the drawings. The gases exhausted from the firebox I5 passthrough the conduits Nd and the air from the blower I2 enters thedischarge chamber at Ila. and passes through the conduits I40. The airfrom the blower l2 and the gases from the firebox l5 do not mix untilthe same have passed the ends of partitions Mb atthe point My asindicated in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The gases from the firebox '5 passthrough openings Us in the upper surface of the discharge chamber l4directly into the conduits Md. These openings Ms are shown in Fig. 10 ofthe drawings. Air is admitted to the firebox l5 through l5b as shown inFig. '7 of the drawings. This firebox 15 is also lined with a refractorymaterial l5a as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, and the fuel oilpreheater coils l and air preheater coils 8d are removably positioned inrecess I50 in lining ia as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The memberI, in its modified form also has deflectors similar to Mt and Mr, andshutters similar to I41 and Hi.

The operation of the orchard heating apparatus with the modified formof' firebox and discharge chamber is the same as for the preferred form.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction,combination, and arrangement of parts and portions and a certainmodification thereof, I do not wish to be limited to this particularconstruction, combination and arrangement, nor to themodification, butdesire to include in the scope of my invention, the construction,combination, and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appendedclaims.

. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a heat mixing and dischargemember, a blower means mounted in connection with said heat mixing anddischarge member, a furnace mounted in connection with said heat mixingand discharge member, and a plurality of partitions vertically securedwithin said heat mixing and discharge member.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a heat mixing and dischargemember, a blower means mounted in connection with said heat mixing anddischarge member, a furnace mounted in connection with said heat mixingand discharge member, a plurality of partitions vertically securedwithin said heat mixing and discharge member dividing said heat mixingand discharge member into a plurality of conduits, every alternateconduit thus formed communicating directly with the said furnace and theremainder serving as conduits for air from said blower.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a heat mixing and dischargemember, a blower means mounted in connection with said heat mixing anddischarge member, an oil burning furnace mounted in connection with saidheat mixing and discharge member, and a plurality of partitionsvertically secured within said heat mixing and discharge member andextending less than the full length thereof, the ends thereofterminating substantially short of the discharge end of said heat mixingand discharge member.

4. In an apparatus of the class described. a heat mixing and dischargemember, a blower means mounted in connection with said heat mixing anddischarge member, an oil burning furnace mounted in connection with saidheat mixing and discharge member, a plurality of partitions verticallysecured within said heat mixing and discharge member and extending lessthan the full length thereof, the ends thereof terminating substantiallyshort of the discharge end of said heat mixing and discharge memberdividing said heat mixing and discharge member into a plurality ofconduits, every alternate conduit thus formed communicating directlywith the said furnace, and the remainder serving as conduits for airfrom said blower.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a heat mixing and dischargemember, a blower means mounted in connection with said heat mixing anddischarge member, a furnace mounted in connection with said heat mixingand discharge member, a plurality of partitions vertically securedwithin said heat mixing and discharge member and extending less than thefull length thereof, the ends thereof terminating substantially short ofthe discharge end of said heat mixing and discharge member dividing saidheat mixing and discharge member into a plurality of conduits, everyalternate conduit thus formed communicating directly with the saidfurnace, and the remainder serving as conduits for air from said blower,and a pair of shutter memtioned at the forward end of said heat mixingand discharge member and exhausting thereinto.

7. In a mobile orchard heating apparatus, a heat mixing and dischargemember mounted thereon with its exhaust end at the rear of saidapparatus and below the level of its intake end, a furnace mountedbeneath said heat mixing and discharge member near its forward end, andcommunicating therewith, a blower means positioned at the forward end ofsaid heat mixing and discharge member and exhausting thereinto, and aplurality of conduits positioned within said heat mixing and dischargemember and communicating with said burner.

8. In a mobile orchard heatingapparatus,aheat mixing and dischargemember mounted thereon with its exhaust end at the rear of saidapparatus and belowthe level of its intake end,and a furnace membermounted on the top side of said heat mixing and discharge member andmidway between its forward and its discharge ends.

9. In a mobile orchard heating apparatus, a heat mixing and dischargemember mounted thereon with its exhaust end at the rear oi saidapparatus and below the level of its intake end, a furnace membermounted on the top side of said heat mixing and discharge member andmidway between its forward and its discharge 76 ends and a blower meansin connection with the forward end of said heat mixing and dischargemember.

10. In a mobile orchard heating apparatus, a heat mixing and dischargemember mounted thereon with its exhaust end at the rear of saidapparatusand below the level of its intake end, a furnace member mountedon the top side of said heat mixing and discharge member and midwaybetween its forward and its discharge ends, a blower means in connectionwith the forward end of said heat mixing and discharge member, and aplurality of conduits positioned within said heat mixing and dischargemember and communicating with said furnace member.

11. In a mobile orchard heating apparatus, a frame member, a heat mixingand discharge member mounted thereon, an oil burning furnace membermounted in connection with said heat mixing and discharge member, ablower means in connection with said heat mixing and discharge membertofurnish a draft therethrough, and a pair of deflector members positionedat the middle within said heat mixing and discharge member near itsexhaust end to deflect heat out to the sides of said apparatus.

12. In a mobile orchard heating apparatus, a frame member, a heat mixingand discharge member mounted thereon, an oil burning furnace membermounted in connection with said heat mixing and discharge member, ablower means in connection with said heat mixing and discharge member tofurnish a draft thierethrough, a pair of deflector members positioned atthe middle within said heat mixing and discharge member near its exhaustend to deflect heat out to the sides of said apparatus, and a pair ofshutter members, one positioned on each side of said heat mixing anddischarge member. near its end to control the discharge of heat fromsaid heat mixing and discharge member.

' RAY H. TABER.

